BACKGROUND: A good doctor-patient relationship should be based on mutual understanding and reliance. Proper conversation and same understanding of the use of this terminology is needed. This study was designed to make a comerstone to establish appropriate medical terminology by means of investigation of the meaning of 'neurotic' among family' physicians. METHOD: A questionnaire was sent to 971 family doctors registered as regular members in the Korean Academy of Family Medicine. We analysed 184 returned questionnaires. We calculated the percent for each item. Chi-square test used to analyse demographic characteristics and compare whether the word 'neurotic' has been used or not, and whether it was a proper medical terminology or not. RESULT: 82.6% of responders(152/184) were used to 'neurotic' as a medical terminology. Doctors in their thirties were the least using group(78.7%) and doctors working in university hospitals rarely used them being statistically significant (p<0.000). 82.5% of the doctors in using 'neurotic' responded it is not an appropriate terminology. The most frequent situation in using it was 'patient appealed organic symptom without abnormal lab result'(51.1%). The target diseases were not organic disorders such as functional dyspepsia(64.1%), tension headache(58.5%), psychosomatic or somatoform disorder(54.9%). 59% of the patients diagnosed as 'neurotic' gave unsatisfying responses. Family doctors recommended substituting to terminology such as 'functional'(33%), 'psychogenic'(31.8%), and 'stress-induced'(25.0%). CONCLUSION: Most family doctors were used to the word 'neurotic' but they did not think it was an appropriate terminology. There fore, other substitute words should be faken into consideration.
Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

We have experienced a case of occult hepatocellular carcinoma metastasized to the heart in a 41 year old female. The hepatocellular carcinoma invaded the hepatic vein, grew in a snakelike fashion up the inferior vena cava and reached the right atrium. Ultrastural examination in this case confirmed the hepatocellular origin of the tumor.
Female ; Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular

No abstract available.
HL-60 Cells* ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Protein Kinases*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this research was to evaluate physiological significances of expression of immediate early gene proteins in the vestibular nuclear complex by change of arterial pressure (AP) in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Record AP and inject either sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or phenylnephrine to change AP. Either fast or slow removal of blood from the femoral artery was made to induce different rapidity in reduction of AP. Blood supply to the inner ear was temporally blocked by clamping anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA). Immunohistochemical staining and image analysis for cFos, FosB, Krox, and JunB proteins were performed 2, 6, 12 hours after change of AP. RESULTS: The selective expression of cFos protein was observed in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) following reduction of AP. The number of cFos positive neurons peaked at 2 hours and then rapidly reduced, returning to the normal value 24 hours after SNP injection. And cFos protein expression was also well correlated with that of AP reduction at 2 hours of SNP injection. The rapid falling of AP caused a significant expression of cFos protein but slow withdrawal of blood did a minimal change of cFos protein expression. In addition, there was a significant expression of cFos protein following the increase of AP by single injection of phenylnephrine. Unilateral occlusion of AICA resulted in the significant expression of cFos protein in bilateral MVN. Furthermore, bilateral ablation of vestibular endorgans resulted in significant reduction of cFos expression by AICA occlusion in MVN. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that cFos protein is a marker for neuronal excitation in vestibular complex in response to rapid changes in the arterial blood pressure and that medial vestibular nuclei plays an important role in signaling the process of cardiovascular information coming from the peripheral vestibular apparatus.
Adult* ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure* ; Arteries ; Blood Pressure ; Constriction ; Ear, Inner ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Neurons ; Nitroprusside ; Proteins ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reference Values ; Vestibular Nuclei ; Vestibule, Labyrinth

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiographic variables such as changes in the ST-T segment, and increased QT interval have been found to predict the occurrence of myocardial ischemia. But disadvantages of most of these variables have poor reproducibility and require analysis of all ECG leads. If electrocardiographic T axis properly predicts myocardial ischemia, it can be used as a useful marker for diagnosing myocardial ischemia in primary practice. METHODS: We selected 147 persons, who visited the emergency room or an outpatient clinic because of chest pain, in whom coronary angiography was performod. We reviewed their medical records. Electrocardiographic T axis was classified as normal, borderline and abnormal T axis. We identified the relation between cardiovascular risk factors and electrocardiographic T axis, and also, the relation between ischemic electrocardiographic variables and T axis. We examined the relation between coronary angiographic results and electrocardiographic T axis. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of electrocardiographic T axis was 26.7% and 86.9%, respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 81.8% and 35.1%, respectively. The proportion of hypertension was 41.2% in normal T axis group, 65.5% in borderline T axis group, and 34.4% in abnormal T axis group, which was statistically significant (P=0.032). The relation between coronary angiographic results and electrocardiographic T axis was not statistically significant. The subjects with abnormal T axis were associated with ST depression (P=0.016). CONCLUSION: The T axis abnormality was not useful for screening myocardial ischemia, but it was useful to rule out other diseases due to its high specificity.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Depression ; Diagnosis* ; Electrocardiography* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mass Screening ; Medical Records ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Cell Count* ; HIV* ; Humans ; Panax*

OBJECTIVES: In this paper, we proposed an algorithm for recognizing a rotator cuff supraspinatus tendon tear using a texture analysis based on a histogram, gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), and gray level run length matrix (GLRLM). METHODS: First, we applied a total of 57 features (5 first order descriptors, 40 GLCM features, and 12 GLRLM features) to each rotator cuff region of interest. Our results show that first order statistics (mean, skewness, entropy, energy, smoothness), GLCM (correlation, contrast, energy, entropy, difference entropy, homogeneity, maximum probability, sum average, sum entropy), and GLRLM features are helpful to distinguish a normal supraspinatus tendon and an abnormal supraspinatus tendon. The statistical significance of these features is verified using a t-test. The support vector machine classification showed accuracy using feature combinations. Support Vector Machine offers good performance with a small amount of training data. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy are used to evaluate performance of a classification test. RESULTS: From the results, first order statics features and GLCM and GLRLM features afford 95%, 85%, and 100% accuracy, respectively. First order statistics and GLCM and GLRLM features in combination provided 100% accuracy. Combinations that include GLRLM features had high accuracy. GLRLM features were confirmed as highly accurate features for classified normal and abnormal. CONCLUSIONS: This algorithm will be helpful to diagnose supraspinatus tendon tear on ultrasound images.
Classification ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Entropy ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Rotator Cuff ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Subject Headings ; Support Vector Machine ; Tears ; Tendons ; Ultrasonography*

Background: This study compared the neutralizing antibody kit using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method with the rapid antibody diagnostic kit using the Lateral Flow Immunoassay (LFIA) method to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the COVID-19 Biokit IgG/IgM regarding evaluation of antibody formation after COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: The neutralizing antibody test was performed with antibody detection kit of diagnostic medical devices for the qualitative method using the standard ELISA method. The rapid antibody diagnostic kit was measured with the COVID-19 Biokit IgG/IgM using the LFIA method. Based on the results of the neutralizing antibody measurement test of the standard test method, the test results of the rapid antibody diagnostic kit are compared and analyzed to confirm its the sensitivity and specificity. Results: When the consistency was determined as positive and negative for the two test results, 118 cases were matched and two cases were inconsistent, showing a 98.3% consistency rate. That is, sensitivity 98%, specificity 100% and correctly classified proportion 98%. Conclusions Although the positive results of antibody formation of this kit would mean that individual has immunity to COVID-19, the result cannot be used to confirm or evaluate for re-infection. But the strong agreement between rapid antibody diagnostic kit results and ELISA results suggests that the kit used in this study is available as a screening test for antibody and neutralizing antibody responses, which could help evaluate the need for additional vaccinations, collect data quickly and cheaply and monitor individual immune responses.

Background: This study aimed to examine international students’ perceptions, characteristics, use of public medical services, and satisfaction with the National Health Insurance System, and compared the results with the Health Insurance System Perception Survey conducted on Korean population to understand the differences between the two groups’ perceptions of the health insurance system and their use of medical services. Methods: A survey was conducted from May 23, 2022 to June 21, 2022 to measure various data of international students related to the National Health Insurance System and analyzed the results. Results: Most international students were in their 20s (the average age was 23±2.06 years), which showed that they were less likely to use medical services compared to Korean population in their 20s. Both Korean population and international students viewed their subjective health as generally good. Regarding the perceptions of the National Health Insurance System, 75.6% of the Korean population responded positively, while only 16% of international students responded positively. The biggest reason for the negative responses was the higher contributions compared to private health insurance, showing that financial hardship played a large role in the negative perceptions. The insurance contribution calculation methods by the Government showed differences.International students receive the same insurance contributions regardless of their nationality, age, income, or assets. Conclusions Through this study, it has been confirmed that further research and examination are needed regarding the application of Korean health insurance to foreign residents and the appropriate calculation of insurance contributions.

BACKGROUND: Serum eosinophil cationic protein(ECP) level has been proposed as a indirect marker of eosinophilic inflammation of the airway in bronchial asthma. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum ECP against indirect clinical markers of disease, we compared bronchial obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and peripheral blood eosinophil counts, total IgE with serum ECP levels in patients with bronchial asthma and normal controls. METHOD: Fourty-two patients with bronchial asthma and twenty-six normal controls were enrolled. Measurement were made by spirometry, inhalation challenge with methacholine, peripheral blood eosinophil counts, total IgE and FEIA(fluoroenzymatic immunoassay) of serum ECP RESULT: Serum ECP levels were significantly higher in asthmatic patients than normal controls(p<0.0,5). Serum ECP levels were correlated with peripheral blood eosinophil counts(p<0.01, r=0.544) and bronchial hyperresponsiveness(PC,)(p<0.01, r=-0.456) in patients with bronchial asthma. Serum ECP levels were correlated with degree of bronchial obstruction(FEV, % to predicted value, FEV1/FVC%) in total subjects, but not in asthmatic patients. CONCLUSION: Serum ECP level may be used as indicator of disease activity in bronchial asthma and be helpful in differentiation between normal person and asthmatic patients on simple serological method. Further studies on the changes of serum ECP levels according to disease course and therapeutic responses are needed.
Asthma* ; Biomarkers ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Inhalation ; Methacholine Chloride ; Spirometry